H.B. 900 78(R) Page 1 of 1BILL ANALYSIS H.B. 900 By: King Law Enforcement Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Under current law, the operator of an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) is only allowed to travel on a public street, road, or highway that is not an interstate or limited-access highway if the transportation is associated with agricultural work. Therefore, current law greatly limits the events at which ATV's can be used. The increased mobility and surveillance ability that an ATV offers will better equip officers to handle crowd control, sporting events, and other events that require an increased coverage area. House Bill 900 allows a peace officer, in the course of his or her office, to operate an all-terrain vehicle on a public street, road, or highway that is not an interstate or limited-access highway. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency. ANALYSIS House Bill 900 amends Section 663.037 of the Transportation Code by adding Subsection (g), which allows a peace officer to operate an all-terrain vehicle on a public street, road, or highway that is not an interstate or limited-access highway. A peace officer may only operate an all-terrain vehicle if the transportation is in connection with the performance of an officer's official duty, the officer attaches a triangular orange flag to the back of the vehicle on top of an eight-foot-long pole, the vehicle's headlights and taillights are illuminated, the officer holds a driver's license as defined by Section 521.001, and the operation of the vehicle does not exceed a distance of 25 miles from the point of origin to the destination. EFFECTIVE DATE This Act takes effect September 1, 2003.